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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

CONFIRMED: Earnhardt Out For Indy and Pocono, Gordon To Drive #88 Chevrolet

Earnhardt will remain sidelined

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will remain
on the sidelines for at least two more weeks, after his doctors declined to
clear him for competition in the aftermath of his latest bout with concussion-like
symptoms.

Earnhardt will miss this
weekend’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as well as next Sunday afternoon’s
event at Pocono (PA) Raceway. Hendrick Motorsports has tabbed four-time Sprint Cup
Series champion Jeff Gordon to replace Earnhardt at Indianapolis and Pocono. He
is a five-time winner of the Brickyard 400 at Indy and owns six career checkered
flags at Pocono Raceway; both series records. He most recently competed in the
2015 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Earnhardt underwent further
evaluation Tuesday at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports
Medicine Concussion Program, after revealing on his “Dale Jr.
Download” podcast that he has been struggling with balance and
nausea.

“Our focus is giving Dale all
the time he needs to recover,” said HMS owner Rick Hendrick today. “There’s
nothing we want more than to see him back in the race car, but we’ll continue
to listen to the doctors and follow their lead. What’s best for Dale is what’s
best for Hendrick Motorsports and everyone involved with the team. We’re all
proud of him and looking forward to having him racing soon.”

Hendrick also commented on his
choice of Gordon to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet in Earnhardt’s absence, calling
him “a team player. I know he’ll be ready, and I know Dale has incredible trust
in him. It’s going to be an emotional weekend with Dale not being there and seeing
Jeff back behind the wheel.”

Hendrick and Gordon will meet
with the media Friday at 10:30 a.m. ET in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway media
center.

Matt K. sort of missed the point of your question when you asked him the other day, but hopefully Dale's willingness to put his health in the proper perspective will encourage other drivers to do the same. Realizing that a lot of it based on how secure you are in your ride...but maybe the next driver that goes through this will look and say, "look, our sport's biggest name stepped out of the car over this...maybe I need to."

The catch comes in feeling secure in your car. If you're an established name, it makes it much easier to step out of the car than if you're a lesser name in a lesser ride.